Tag Archives: God’s word

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Why Run?

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Isaiah 30:15-17 (NIV), “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, ‘No, we will flee on horses.’ Therefore you will flee! You said, ‘We will ride off on swift horses.’ Therefore your pursuers will be swift! A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee away like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.”

God gave them a choice. Trust Him, repent, and find rest. In peace and quiet they could find strength. What did they choose? To run. How many of us do just that. When faced with the old choice of “flight or fight,” we fly, we flee…we run away. God offers peace and rest and yet instead of running to it, we run away from it. Maybe the road looks scary, but He promises strength and rest.

Paul new all about this choice. He went through some stuff. Viper bites, stoning, beatings, jail time, ship wrecks, and then a messenger from Satan comes to buffet and harass. Notice what God says when Paul asks Him to remove this “thorn.”

II Corinthians 12:7-10 (AMP), “And to keep me from being puffed up and too much elated by the exceeding greatness (preeminence) of these revelations, there was given me a thorn (a splinter) in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to rack and buffet and harass me, to keep me from being excessively exalted. Three times I called upon the Lord and besought [Him] about this and begged that it might depart from me; But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength).”

God doesn’t take the thorn away. He basically tells Paul to take His strength and “man up.” God’s grace is sufficient. I used to hear it preached that Paul was supposed to suffer, so God left the thorn. There was even a popular song that said something like, “if the thorn needs to remain,” thankfully the Holy Spirit clarified this for me. I had lots of thorns! His GRACE , His power and strength are fulfilled and completed in our times of weakness. That’s when He comes through. That way we don’t get the glory, He does. He never leaves us in a mess. He always gives us a way out! He promises us that. So He would never leave us to suffer any messenger of Satan. What He does do is give us the authority and the power to overcome any attack. Isn’t that good news?
Paul figured it out and then he instructs us on what to do.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV), “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

We fix our eyes on Jesus, not the thorn, the trouble, the evidence of Satan’s attack. Then we stand and fight like men (or women of God). An older lady from the south said it this way, “play the man.” When Jesus was faced with a hard choice, He didn’t run. He endured the cross.

So maybe you have run in the past. Maybe that is all that has been modeled for you. It’s not too late to change. God is gracious. He longs to be gracious to you.

Isaiah 30:18,21 (NIV), “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him…Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

What is the reward for staying to fight?

Revelations 3:5 (NAS), “He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

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Book Review for “Jesus Himself”-Christian Inspriational Non Fiction

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I love anything by Andrew Murray. This one though is one of my favorites. Jesus Himself is a call to rely on Him alone, to allow Him to dwell in us, use us, and to surrender all to Him. Easy reading, this book reads like you are hearing him preach/teach. I tend to read fiction super fast, and have to purposely make myself slow down for these types of books. Read it a bit at a time as a devotional or read right through, either way you will be blessed. Good for all ages, the language is outdated, but I think most of us can understand what he is saying. I give it five solid stars.

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I Will Let Your Spirit Guide Me

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Dear Father, Thank You for this day! That Your Holy Spirit Guides me, and that I can go in Your love, joy, and strength. Thank You for peace and rest. The peace You give me is not like the peace of this world. Your rest is a calm assurance that You are for me and not against me. You never give me more than I can handle if I lean on Your strong arm, so whatever comes my way today, I will confidently stand on Your word and seek Your will in each situation. You are the one who will complete what You have begun in me. I will listen and obey, and if I need wisdom, I will ask You for it. I choose this day to live from Heaven and not from this earth cursed system. I will not fear anything that bombards my natural senses, but will instead rely and trust my spiritual eyes and ears. I will rely wholly on the Holy Spirit who speaks to me in many ways. Today will be a prosperous day, for me and for Your Kingdom.

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I Won’t Be Moved!

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Psalm 125:1 (NAS), “A Song of Ascents. Those who trust in the LORD Are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever.”

We all go through stuff, from a “bad day,” to acute trauma. Its part of the human experience, part of the earth cursed system. We live in Satan’s domain, right in his territory. He doesn’t like us born-again-believers. He fights us tooth and nail, (that’s a metaphor, because Jesus has pulled his teeth, he can only roar). So, life can be hard. Loved ones pass away, jobs are lost, and sometimes we just make very bad choices with uncomfortable consequences. However, if we belong to God, if we name Jesus as Lord and Savior, we don’t have to let all that shaking dislodge us!

Proverbs 10:25 (NASB), “When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.”

We all go through it, saved and unsaved. The difference, and it is a huge one, is that we don’t get blown away. Our foundation is everlasting. We are like the wise man who builds his house on the rocks.

Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV), “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

God doesn’t bring the storm. I have to make that clear. Storms aren’t a “punishment” from God. He doesn’t bring sickness, poverty, troubles, or trials. Jesus said being in this world we would have trouble, but to be of good cheer, He overcame the world. (John 16:33). This world fell, and is falling. If you haven’t noticed it gets darker and uglier by the day. People say all the time, “What’s this world coming to?” I think the answer is clear, “the end.” This time more than ever we need to stand on God’s word and His promises. Do what He says to do. I love the way the Amplified Bible says “the uncompromisingly righteous.” We can’t compromise. We can’t try to keep one foot in the world and one in Heaven. There is no dual citizenship for those who are Children of God. We can’t serve two masters.

The great news is that if we serve Him, without being double minded, those storms pass us by. Sure there may be a few broken branches, maybe a shingle in the yard, but our house will not be moved! We can’t be shaken. In these last days God said that He would shake everything.

Haggai 2:6 (NIV), “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.

Joel 3:14-16 (NIV), “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is ear in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.”

This shaking will be for the unsaved, those trying to straddle the fence. Those who teeter on that dangerous high wire, they will fall on one side or the other. The final choice will be made.

I want to live on a firm foundation, not a slippery slope. I want to know and be confident that God’s ways are good and perfect. I want to stay rooted and grounded in His Love and remain steadfast, unmoving.

I may shake and tremble at times. I may stand afraid, but I will stand, and I will not be moved!

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His Word is Settled

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Matthew 24:35 (KJB), “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

I am so glad that I have the Written Word of God!

The more I read and study His word, the closer I get to Him, the more I find out about who He is and how He sees me. His word is a plum line for my life. If I hear any voice that doesn’t line up with His word, I ignore it, or rebuke it.

A good Pastor or Teacher uses His word, without watering it down, or changing it. They do not leave out parts and skip over others, never taking it out of context to make a point that is their own doctrine and not the doctrine of the Lord.

His word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, (Psalm 119:105). It is sweet! (Psalm 119:103). His word is true and they stand forever, (Psalm 119:160).

One of the greatest aspects of His word is that it is settled in Heaven.

Psalm 119:89 (NAS), “Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.”
(NIV), “Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.”
(International Standard Version), “Your word is forever, LORD; it is firmly established in heaven.”
(ESV), “Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.”

No matter what translation of the Bible you read Psalm 119:89, it just gets clearer and more concrete. God’s word is fixed, stands firm, is firmly established, it is settled. Have you ever heard someone say, “That settles it!” What they mean is there is no more questioning, no more argument, no more reasoning, studying, putting up with something less. We can’t argue with His word, can’t change it, can’t shift or shake it. The only thing we can do is ignore it, but it is still there. Ignore the mosquitoes and see how well that works for you.

For me, this is a promise of God that I can stand on. No matter what the circumstances, no matter the situation, His word is firmly established. That’s why we can confidently stand on His word. That’s why at His word things change! They have to.

Jesus told us to pray, “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”(Matthew 6:10)

Why? Because His word is His will. Nothing less than His will is done in Heaven. That’s the plan for earth as well. However, we ignore, pollute, and poison His word. Some so called Christians even use it for harm instead of good. They use it to beat people up instead of building them up. They in fact cause people to turn from God, instead of run into His loving arms. What we should be doing is looking to His Kingdom, into heaven and asking ourselves, “What is allowed in heaven?” If it isn’t allowed there, why would we ever allow it here? Stand on His word. Declare what He has to say.

It’s settled!

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Why Make Them Wait?

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Do you ever get that feeling like there is some great thing about to take place, kind of like that quiet moment right before the storm? You expect the flash of lighting and the sound of thunder. You expect the show of raw power. We are expectantly waiting for nature to let loose her authority. If you have ever lived somewhere hot, or humid, and you just feel like one nice cooling rain could alleviate the suffering, you know what it means to moan for nature to do her job.

Yet, God say that all of nature is waiting on us…

Romans 8:18-25 (NAS), “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”

Verse 22, (NLT), “ the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.”

What exactly is nature waiting for? For us to take out rightful place as sons of God, for us to walk in our authority.

Matthew 28:19-20 (NAS), “ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,”

Luke 10:19 (NLT), “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.”

The Father gave Jesus all authority. Then, through His death and resurrection, He passed that authority on to us. Why? To grow the family of God, to make disciples.

Mark 13:34, (KJB), “For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.” (emphasis mine)

We need to stop letting the enemy distract us, stop being too busy to be about our duties. We need to be busy with the great commission while we are waiting for the bridegroom.

Luke 12:36 (KJB), “like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.”

We use our authority to cast out demons, heal the sick, change circumstances, call money in, stand in the gap for our loved ones, and the list goes on. Authority doesn’t ask, authority commands. We thank God, but we speak to the situation. Is your child sick? Command his or her body to line up with the word of God, that says by His stripes they are already healed. Command their body to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Is your bank account low, and your bills high? Pay your tithing, thank God for His provision, and then command the debt to leave and money to come. Find scriptures to stand on and speak them out, and over each need. It’s not some “abracadabra” magic words. It may take some time, don’t give up. God says that we will have what we say. His word is true, and He is not a man that He should lie. If He said it, then we can believe it. We just have to start believing what we say!

The world would be a different place if true followers of Christ walked in their God-given authority!

All of nature is groaning in expectation.

Why make them wait?

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What Kind of Father Do You Want?

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We all have a father.

Someone who contributed their DNA, who’s genes make up part of who we are. For some people, that is as far as it goes. They have an “absent father.” For others, their father is a part of their life. He may or may not contribute financially, emotionally, and relationally. Then there are those who have active, loving, and caring fathers who provide for their needs on all of those levels. But even the best father has his flaws, faults, and failings. There isn’t a perfect one.

So, if we got a choice in the matter, we definitely would choose the third father, the one who does his best to be there. We can see the mess the world is in due to the lack of Fathering. There are some pretty ugly statistics about it. So a good father is important. A less than perfect father is far better than an absent father.

God calls Himself our Father.

II Corinthians 6:18 (KJV), “And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

Romans 8:16 (NAS), “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,”

How then, do we see God? Do we see him as that absent father? Or the father who is present in the vaguest sense, one who doesn’t have time for us, fails to provide any security? Do we see him as a loving father that just can’t seem to get it right every time? Are we looking for faults and judging him by what we have seen in our own fathers? Maybe we think he is like our Daddy, who just can’t say “no” to us, and can’t find it in himself to discipline us.

That would be unjust. We would be deceiving ourselves if we allowed ourselves to think He is like our earthly fathers.

Isaiah 55:8 “”My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD.” And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”

He isn’t like our earthly fathers! If our father loves, He is more loving. If our father is wise, He is wiser. God, our Heavenly Father, will always love, always discipline rightly, always be there for us, never leave us, never fail us, never forget us, always put us first, always steer us on the right path, will encourage, and build us up! Sound perfect right? Well He is The Perfect Father.

I know that is so hard for us to imagine, but try! Think about it, meditate on it. Talk about it. If you are a father, try to model it. And if you mess up, apologize and point them to the Perfect Father.

I loved my Dad. He passed away this year. My earthly father had issues, some that came from the issues that his father had. I am thankful for all the good he brought into my life. But if I had to choose…I want a Father like God. God is my Father. I only have one now. Even if your earthly father is still living, you still have a Father who is better. You don’t have to deny one to love the other. You can have both! We love and accept our earthly fathers, but we put our trust, our hope, and our faith in Him who calls Himself our “Abba,” Daddy God.

Father’s Love